Juillard Loic Quentin, Ramp Daniel
Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Jan 21;12(3):256. doi: 10.3390/ani12030256.
Extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods are expected to become more intense and severe under climate change, especially in the southern and eastern parts of Australia. We aimed to quantify the relationship between body condition scores (BCS), demography, activity rate, and parasitic infections of eastern grey kangaroos on a large conservation property under different climate extremes by employing camera traps established at artificial water points (AWPs). The survey period included a severe drought, broken by a significant flooding event. Climatic and environmental conditions were documented using remotely sensed indices of moisture availability and vegetation productivity. These conditions were found to affect all health and population parameters measured. BCS, juvenile proportions, and sex ratios were most correlated with 6-month lags in climatic conditions, while the activity rate of kangaroos at AWPs was most correlated with vegetation productivity. Ticks were mostly found on individuals with a poorer BCS, while the concentration of parasitic eggs in feces was higher in autumn than in spring. Our study offers a glimpse into some of the environmental drivers of eastern grey kangaroo populations and their health, information that may become increasingly important in today's climate. It further emphasizes the importance of this knowledge for wildlife conservation efforts appropriate to managing the impact of climate change alongside other threats.
预计在气候变化的影响下，干旱和洪水等极端气候事件将变得更加剧烈和严重，尤其是在澳大利亚的南部和东部地区。我们旨在通过在人工饮水点（AWP）设置的相机陷阱，量化不同气候极端条件下，大型保护地内东部灰袋鼠的身体状况评分（BCS）、种群统计学、活动率和寄生虫感染之间的关系。调查期包括一场严重干旱，期间穿插了一次重大洪水事件。利用水分可利用性和植被生产力的遥感指数记录气候和环境条件。结果发现，这些条件会影响所测量的所有健康和种群参数。BCS、幼崽比例和性别比与气候条件的6个月滞后最为相关，而袋鼠在AWP的活动率与植被生产力最为相关。蜱虫大多出现在BCS较差的个体身上，而粪便中寄生虫卵的浓度在秋季高于春季。我们的研究让我们得以一窥东部灰袋鼠种群及其健康状况的一些环境驱动因素，这些信息在当今气候条件下可能会变得越来越重要。它进一步强调了这些知识对于野生动物保护工作的重要性，这些工作对于应对气候变化及其他威胁的影响至关重要。
